Building a website in 2024 is a must for small business owners and solopreneurs to take their brand to the next level. However, many questions are most frequently asked when it comes to the website-building process.

The first question that pops up is, “How much will it cost?” Understanding website costs is key to making informed decisions and managing your budget effectively. Below, we’ll outline the estimated costs of building a website in 2024. The cost can vary greatly depending on the type of website, features, and functionality you need. 

You also need to understand the difference between creating a website with web hosting services (WordPress) and using drag-and-drop website builders. For instance, a simple website can cost more if you are looking to build it using WordPress.

Knowing these costs will help you prioritize your needs and avoid unnecessary expenses. Let's look at the different elements that contribute to website costs, such as design, hosting, and maintenance. By understanding these factors, you can create a site that fits your budget and meets your business goals.

How Much Does It Cost to Build a Website in 2024?

Website construction costs aren't one set figure; they depend on your requirements. A general overview of typical costs can look something like this:

Keeping website construction costs as low as possible is important for many solopreneurs or small businesses, and this is where Neo can help. With Neo, businesses can register their custom email domain name, a professional business email inbox, and a one-page website. Neo can help you reduce website construction costs by using a simplified setup and free options for your domain. The plan starts from $1.86/month when paid annually. 

What Influences Website Construction Cost?

To understand the website construction costs, let's look at a few factors on which the price depends:

• Type of Website: Simple one-page websites will be far cheaper than feature-rich eCommerce websites requiring payment integrations.
• Level of Customization: The higher the level of customization required, the more time and skill will be needed, hence the higher the cost.
• Hosting and Domain: The cost of getting a domain name, securing a domain name, and hosting are highly variable, depending on the platform used.
• Maintenance: This involves regular updates and installing security measures that could cost every month.

How Much Does it Cost to Build a Website?

WordPress is currently the most used content management system worldwide due to its flexibility and personalization options. The breakdown of costs for this should give an overview of WordPress website construction costs. Let's look closer at the specific website construction costs associated with WordPress. This will also help you understand the difference between WordPress and Website Builders.

1. Domain Name Cost

Getting your domain name is the first step in creating a website. When you choose WordPress, you need to secure a domain from reputed domain registrars. This includes GoDaddy, Namecheap, and others. Many web hosting platforms offer you a free .com or any other TLD domain name when you buy any of the plans for web hosting. However, if you need to buy a domain, here are the associated costs without subscribing to web hosting plans.

2. Hosting Cost

Hosting refers to the availability of your website on the internet. Hosting comes in many types, and pricing may vary. The three main categories where hosting can be categorized under:

On the other hand, website builders make this more manageable for smaller businesses because they provide hosting within their website builder and email plans. You get a domain, web hosting, and other features in the same plan, unlike WordPress. For instance, with Neo, you can get email hosting, email management/marketing tools, and one-page website deployment. 

3. WordPress Themes

The theme gives your WordPress website a look and an essence. Of course, free themes are available, but if you want something more custom, you will need a premium one. WordPress offers pre-designed templates for one-page websites that help small businesses look professional without incurring high costs.

However, if you choose email hosting platforms like Neo, you can get access to a library of pre-designed templates at no additional cost. 

4. WordPress Plugins

Plugins enhance the functionality of WordPress. While most of them are free, premium plugins for eCommerce, SEO, and Security add to your expenses.

5. SSL & Security Costs

Security is a must for any business website. SSL certificates can be free and paid, depending on the features provided.

Website builders, on the other hand, cover extended security, including SSL, for the protection of your website at no additional cost.

6. Maintenance Costs

Here are the associated maintenance costs that you can expect with WordPress sites. If you are looking for Managed WordPress hosting, these will cost a lot more than Shared hosting plans. The Managed WordPress plans to offer hosting that the web hosting provider fully manages.

Website builder platforms remove these costs with automated updates and trustworthy support, reducing your website construction costs.

How Much Does a Website Builder Cost?

Web builders remain one of the favorite options for entrepreneurs who want to save money and set up a website quickly. Neo, Wix, and Squarespace are among the most well-known website builders offering an all-in-one package of customized templates and built-in hosting for small businesses. Let's look at the costs associated with using these Website Builders.

Website builders are very competitively priced, offering a seamless user experience; hence, they are the best fit for small businesses whose primary goal is to keep website construction costs low.

7 Best Website Builders in 2024

Website builders can be quite useful, especially with their drag-and-drop features. However, you need to select the right software that is ideal for your website-building requirements. Here's a look at the best website builders, considering what makes each different and perfect for small business owners:

1. Neo

Neo stands out among small businesses, startups, and solopreneurs who wish to keep the costs of building a website low while having a good-quality website. Neo's one-page website builder allows you to build an attractive online presence without hassle. If you get a business email with Neo, you also get a free one-page website. This feature works perfectly for solopreneurs or small businesses that want to create an online brand without breaking the bank.

Key Features

• No Coding Knowledge Needed: Neo's one-page website builders are so intuitive that no coding knowledge is required, making the solution accessible to small business owners and professionals.
• Beautiful Templates: You can choose from ready-to-use templates and then add sections like products, services, testimonials, and contact forms as per your requirements.
• Brand Matching: Neo enables you to acquire a domain corresponding to your business email, thus enhancing your brand identity with a personal URL.
• Additional Integrated Tools: In addition to the website builder, Neo offers integrated business management tools such as a priority inbox, email templates, and read receipts, making it an all-encompassing platform that helps boost your online reach.

Pros

• AI-powered website builder with a user-friendly interface that simplifies website creation.
• Offers over 200 pre-made templates for quick setup.
• Drag-and-drop functionality makes design accessible to non-developers.
• Customizable themes to match personal or brand identity.

Cons

• Limited website migration documentation for already established websites.

Neo is ideal for professionals and small businesses looking for a visually appealing website without the high website creation costs. Its price-to-performance ratio is quite good, making it a top choice when it comes to choosing a reliable website builder.

2. Shopify

Shopify is a popular eCommerce website builder. It offers specialized tools for selling online that cater to businesses of all sizes. Shopify is particularly known for its strength in eCommerce features; thus, users can build an attractive, operational online store without any technical knowledge. Easy-to-add-on features such as inventory management, customer reviews, and advanced analytics are available through Shopify's comprehensive app marketplace.

Key Features

Shopify includes robust eCommerce tools such as secure payment processing, shipping calculators, inventory tracking, and various themes designed specifically for online stores. Extra features like cart abandonment recovery and multi-channel selling make it an all-in-one eCommerce solution.

Pros

• Scalable and feature-rich to help you grow your business
• User-friendly with drag-and-drop simplicity yet very powerful when it comes to creating an online product catalog, selling physical and digital products

Cons

• The monthly charges can accumulate a lot, especially with the additional plugins; Shopify apps may also require additional charges.

Shopify is suitable for eCommerce stores, product-based businesses, and entrepreneurs who seek trustworthy, scalable website-building solutions to streamline their online businesses.

3. Wix

Wix is considered one of the most versatile website builders; it is especially known for its highly adjustable drag-and-drop editor, which allows great design flexibility. With Wix, users can select from hundreds of templates available in various industries or design a unique layout that fits their brand. This versatility makes it perfect for small businesses, creatives, and even larger brands that require customization.

Key Features

Wix offers its users more than 500 design templates that can be easily edited through the drag-and-drop editor. There are also many integrations for social media, blogging, eCommerce, and much more. Additionally, the App Market allows you to install booking systems, chatbots, and email marketing systems.

Pros

• Sites can be highly customized using Wix
• No coding required
• A wide variety of design options is available
• Active support and good community

Cons

• Some users feel overwhelmed by the flexibility offered by Wix
• Provides limited options for migrating to other platforms.
• It can be costly as compared to services such as Neo.

Ideal for Small or medium-sized businesses, freelancers, creative professionals, and anyone who wants to have total control over the design of their site.

4. Squarespace

Squarespace boasts a wide range of great-looking templates and has fared well among creative individuals and business owners aiming to make an eye-catching website. You can use Squarespace to build a clean, professional-looking site with built-in SEO, blogging, and eCommerce tools. Its aesthetic appeal and ease of use make it ideal for photographers, designers, and businesses focused on branding.

Key Features

Squarespace features beautifully designed, responsive, customizable, and ready-to-build professional sites. It also has built-in analytics, eCommerce options, and SEO tools to help your growing businesses.

Pros

• Visually appealing templates
• An all-in-one platform with hosting, including SSL
• Excellent customer support
• Easy eCommerce integration

Cons

• It is not as good as Wix when it comes to total customization
• Slightly more expensive eCommerce plans.

Squarespace is ideal for creatives, photographers, designers, bloggers, and small business owners who want to create a professional website for their brands.

5. Weebly

Weebly is a simple and easy-to-use drag-and-drop website builder. It is a practical choice for small businesses or individuals who want an easy-to-manage website coupled with eCommerce functions without getting too technical. Weebly has integrated with Square, so it's ideal for a small business owner to use if they want to set up an online store that includes payment options.

Key Features

Weebly has a website builder with basic SEO and eCommerce settings. It boasts hundreds of templates and a drag-and-drop editor, and the Square integration makes processing easier.

Pros

• Easy to use
• Great choice of eCommerce features for small businesses

Cons

• Very limited features when it comes to customization
• Fewer advanced features compared with other platforms, like Shopify or Wix

Weebly is ideal for small business owners, mainly those already familiar with Square for payments.

6. Hostinger Website Builder

Mostly popular as a hosting provider, it recently developed an intuitive website builder that couples web hosting with a simplified drag-and-drop interface. The software is well-suited for non-developers who want to build functional sites without technical overhead.

Key Features

Hostinger offers a drag-and-drop builder, SSL certificate, and hosting plans under one roof. It offers a variety of tools for customization, SEO, and eCommerce with minimal additional cost.

Pros

• Very budget-friendly, starting plans for as low as $2.49/month
• A variety of templates are available
• Basic SEO and e-commerce options included

Cons

• Advanced design functionality is limited
• Not feature-heavy like Shopify or Wix

Ideal for Individuals, bloggers, and small businesses that want a basic website that's fairly low-cost.

7. GoDaddy

GoDaddy is known for its domain name registration services; however, it also offers a website builder with easily integrated domains, hosting, and marketing tools. GoDaddy's Website Builder is an easy-to-navigate, drag-and-drop platform designed to set up an online presence with ease. GoDaddy's easy setup with marketing tools integrated into one spot has made it quite appealing to small and medium businesses looking for an affordable solution.

Key Features

GoDaddy has a drag-and-drop builder, integrated SEO, marketing tools, and optional eCommerce capabilities. It's an all-in-one platform that offers domain registration, hosting, and email all under the same roof.

Pros

• Quick and easy setup
• Wide range of marketing integrations
• Affordable pricing options

Cons

• Limited design customization and flexibility
• Fewer options for advanced eCommerce sites

The platform is ideal for small businesses, solopreneurs, and anyone looking for an easy way to set up a web presence with some built-in marketing tools.

How Neo Reduces the Cost of Website Building?

Neo is designed with small businesses and professionals in mind and offers an economical way of building a professional website with no hidden costs. With Neo, the cost of business email is reduced, and you will have a free one-page website that reduces the burden of paying for domain and web hosting.

Features that Set Neo Apart

• Economical All-in-One Solution: Neo combines email, a website builder, and other business management tools to help improve business communications and web presence.
• Easy Management of Your Website: Neo's no-code builder means no expensive or time-consuming website-building process. Users can update their pages with Neo at any moment, keeping maintenance costs as low as possible.
• Integrated Branding Tools: Features like email templates and follow-up reminders help business owners keep their communications professional.

The Bottom Line

Website construction costs in 2024 vary based on the features you want and how advanced you want your website to be. Knowing how much a website construction costs in 2024 can save small business owners from overspending and enable them to choose the most effective tools for their needs.

Neo is an ideal choice for individuals and small business owners who need a professional email and a one-page website at a very low price. It offers follow-up reminders, a priority inbox, and everything needed to launch and grow an online presence confidently as a solopreneur or small business owner.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How much is the average website construction cost in 2024?

The price of an average website ranges from a mere $200 for a simple website to over $5,000 for an advanced website.

2. How much is a domain?

An average domain costs about $10 to $20 per year, but some platforms offer it free of charge as part of their web hosting plans. Email hosting services such as Neo also provide you with a free .co.site domain name to get started.

3. Are website builders better, or is hiring a developer better?

Website builders are more affordable for smaller businesses. For complex sites, though, custom development may be needed, which is much more expensive.